SB647
Unmanned aircraft systems; use by law-enforcement officers, search warrants.
Status:
Passed
Latest Action:
March 18, 2026
Senate: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB647)
Chief Patron:
Todd Pillion (R)
Session:
2026 Regular Session
Summary
As Passed House of Origin. Use of unmanned aircraft systems by law-enforcement officers; search warrants; model policy.
Expedites the issuance of a search warrant for unmanned aircraft systems by law-enforcement officers upon a finding of reasonable and probable cause by an authorized judicial official as defined in the bill. The bill permits the use of unmanned aircraft systems without a search warrant when law enforcement is surveying ... (More) the scene of a crime or to respond to a public safety call for service when such crime scene or call for service is located on public property, to locate a person when such person has fled the offense location during the initial response to an incident, or to provide real-time aerial observation to increase on-scene safety and security. The bill also requires that the Department of Criminal Justice Services establishes a model policy for the use of unmanned aircraft systems by December 1, 2026. (Less)-
Bill History
- 01/14/2026 - Senate: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103704D
- 01/14/2026 - Senate: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
- 02/11/2026 - Senate: Senate committee offered
- 02/11/2026 - Senate: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (13-Y 1-N 1-A)
- 02/12/2026 - Senate: Committee substitute printed 26106981D-S1
- 02/13/2026 - Senate: Rules suspended
- 02/13/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (36-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 02/13/2026 - Senate: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- 02/16/2026 - Senate: Read second time
- 02/16/2026 - Senate: Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote)
- 02/16/2026 - Senate: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote)
- 02/16/2026 - Senate: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB647)
- 02/17/2026 - Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 02/24/2026 - House: Placed on Calendar
- 02/24/2026 - House: Read first time
- 02/24/2026 - House: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
- 02/27/2026 - House: Placed on Courts of Justice Agenda
- 03/02/2026 - House: Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) (22-Y 0-N)
- 03/03/2026 - House: Read second time
- 03/04/2026 - House: Read third time
- 03/04/2026 - House: committee amendment agreed to
- 03/04/2026 - House: Engrossed by House as amended
- 03/04/2026 - House: Passed House with amendment (97-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 03/04/2026 - House: Reconsideration of passage agreed to by House
- 03/04/2026 - House: Passed House with amendment (99-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 03/06/2026 - Senate: House amendment agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 03/12/2026 - House: Enrolled
- 03/12/2026 - Senate: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB647ER)
- 03/12/2026 - House: Signed by Speaker
- 03/12/2026 - Senate: Signed by President
- 03/14/2026 - Senate: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026
- 03/14/2026 - Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
- 03/18/2026 - Senate: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB647)
